The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-12
PAPERS AND PENMANsHIP.
Only Few People Write a Good
Hand

New YORK, Dec 10-The question is
evidently in quest of the exact and
proper way of doing even little things.
(Which side of sheet of papeR should one
write on after the first page" The lately
accepted method has been to write first upon
the first page and then the last, then the
second and third. OF course the reason for
this for, after ALL there is reason for
everything if we stop TO look for it, Is that
by the last page following the first, people
are prevented from writing on two sheets Ct
paper, for it often happens that in turning a
page two will accidentally be turned, and
how many Of us have found, to our disInay
that we must rewrite page or Otherwise
send several half sheets of paper. The great
objection to writing on the last page is that
the contents of the letter may easily be read
through the envelope.
A few years ago it was actually the style to
write on thin cross barred paper, each way
OF the page, consequently sheet OF paper
of four pages really did duty for eight.
Not only was this in poor taste, but more,
1t was downright selfish TO ask our friends
to decipher hieroglyphics, as the penmanship
of everybody became under such process.
l received a letter from one friend that it
took the united effort of the whole family
to read, and it was some days before we had
learned all its contents.
The extreme of anything is bad form. So
of the exaggerated style of English penman-
ship; it is sometimes almost an insult to send
such chirography to very busy person, be-
cause IL is uexG TO impossible to decipher it.
The writing might as well be Chinese char
acters, as, indeed, some of it looks. One
should not cultivate what is called by that
hackneyed name of "style" at the expense
of legibility. The first duty in writing to
any one is that the contents shall consume
as little Cf the receivers time as possible.
For this reason plain round hand is de-
cidedly the best of course; the next thing is
to be concise
1t is astonishing how few of the writer's
for the press write good plain hand, which
is easily read. Often it happens that the
cleverest authors will write the worst hand.
The reason no doubt is that their thoughts
fly faster than their hand can WELD the
pen. l have seen some writing that must
make the printers say more big words than
the writer ever dreamed of and the printer
wouldn't be blamed.
OF course every one who writes for pub
location knows that only one side Of the
paper should be written upon. All things
considered, this is good rule for any one to
follow. In writing n note or letter then
write on the nrst page, then on the third,
aud if there is still more to be written re-
turn to the second page, writing fengthwise
of the paper. 1t is Better, however, in all
cases to use the second and fourth page of @
letter sheet.
Our forefathers were particularly neglect
full i'll this. A friend who owns a large col
lection of autograph letters of revolution
airy heroes, in showing them bemoaned the
fact that both sides OF the paper were writ
ten upon, as it prevented the letters
being glued upon the page of scrap book.
Valuable letters were almost in shred>
because there was no suitable way of secur-
ing them.
All who are the least likely to become ia
nous should bear this in mind, even in then
simplest notes to write on but one side of
the paper. 1t is said most women have
made their literary reputation all after 80
So it stands all in hand to look TO their early
efforts, particularly, that they may be SC
written as not to interfere with their preser-
vation-some time perhaps.
EVELYN BAKER HARvIER.